PNWER KICKS OFF 2012 WITH FOCUS ON BORDER ISSUES
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Upcoming Events
2012 Annual Summit
July 15 - 19
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Registration is now open for the 22nd Annual Summit. Register today for the chance to win a Saskatchewan fishing vacation.

For more information please visit: www.pnwer.org/
2012AnnualSummit


Arctic Caucus Roundtable
March 8, 2012
Washington DC

2012 PNWER Arctic Caucus Forum
May 17 - 19, 2012
Whitehorse, Yukon
Thank you to our early 2012 Sponsors




  














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Beyond the Border at Age One
Lt. Gov Brad Owen of Washington addresses participants during his luncheon keynote



Panelists included David Heyman, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC; Paul Haddow, Director of Operations, Border Implementation Team, Privy Council Office, Ottawa; Greg Alvarez, Area Port Director, US Customs and Border Protection, Blaine, WA; and Don Brunell, President, Association of Washington Business
PNWER partnered with Western Washington University's Border Policy Research Institute, and the Government of Canada to present "The 'Beyond the Border' Dialogue at Age One: Policy and Political Implications for the Pacific Northwest" on Friday, February 10.

The half-day session included panel discussions on the "Significance of the Action Plan for Trade, Security and Business: National and Regional Perspectives" and "Political Perspectives: Overcoming Obstacles; Pathways to Regional Success." Click here for full meeting agenda.

The luncheon keynote address was provided by Brad Owen, Lieutenant Governor of Washington state. Lt. Governor Owen told participants about Washington and British Columbia's already close relationship and noted programs that have already been implemented to help make the border less of a barrier. He stressed that ensuring the success of the Action Plan, would depend on the people in the room pushing for its success, saying "and what I am talking about, really, is that the U.S.-Canada Beyond the Border Action Plan can begin with everyone in this room and then move with deliberate speed to convince those at the state/province and federal policy making level. The good news is that Washington and British Columbia have already staked their claim, proving that there is a vital role for a political subdivision to have input into the federally created Beyond the Border Action plan. In fact, many aspects of plan implementation depend on cooperation of sub-national governments." Click here to read the Lt. Governor's Full Remarks

PNWER will continue to support the implementation of the Beyond the Border Action Plan, engaging our stakeholders through upcoming cross-border roundtables and sessions at the PNWER 2012 Annual Summit. Please visit our Border Issues Working Group page for more information.

US - Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council

Matt Morrison and Brandon Hardenbrook represented the region at the first stakeholder session in Washington, DC on January 30 - 31, 2012 for the Regulatory Cooperation Council, which was also announced by Prime Minister Harper and President Obama on December 7, 2011. Cass Sunstein, Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, of OMB, and Bob Hamilton, Sr. Associate Secretary, RCC Secretariat from the Treasury Board of Canada led the stakeholder meeting which began at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, and continued the next day at the US Department of Commerce.

 

The RCC has set up numerous working groups to address the 29 regulatory alignment targets put forth in the Action Plan: http://www.trade.gov/rcc/ Each working group held a joint stakeholder input session on topics ranging from food safety to single window electronic certification for import/export. It was a very productive session, and PNWER was mentioned several times as leading the way in terms of regional collaboration. We provided specific input on behalf of regional stakeholders on natural gas vehicle standards, e-certification of livestock, poultry, and meat, and zoning for foreign animal diseases.

 

PNWER was also in DC to meet with US Coast Guard and Transport Canada officials to discuss a pilot project on Marine Transportation Resilience which will begin this spring involving both the Port of Vancouver and Puget Sound ports in an effort to produce guidelines and protocols for managing marine traffic following an emergency.

 

Executive Committee Delegates Visit Ottawa
PNWER Delegates meet with US Ambassador to Canada David Jacobson
PNWER delegates visited Ottawa November 29-30, 2011 to meet with Canadian Federal officials. While in Ottawa, they were invited to meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

In addition to this wonderful opportunity, the PNWER board had a series of meetings with federal ministers over two days. The delegation also met with US Ambassador David Jacobson, Hon. Lynne Yelich, Minister of Western Economic Diversification; Hon. Steven Fletcher, Minister of Transportation; Hon. Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade; Hon. Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety Canada; Hon. James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage; Hon. John Duncan, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, and various other departments.

Many of the discussions focused on the release of the Regulatory Cooperation Council Action Plan and the Beyond the Border Action Plan, and how PNWER can be involved in implementing these action items.
2012 Capital Visits

PNWER Board members from throughout the region participated in the first of our annual capital visits in January. The delegation visited Juneau, Alaska; and Olympia, Washington.

The Juneau visit included an important meeting with Alaska Governor Sean Parnell, a meeting with Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell, a hearing on the Arctic Caucus in a joint legislative committee, and meetings with Alaska legislators on a variety of issues. Common discussion topics included transportation, resource development, workforce, energy, and cross-border collaboration, and maritime shipping. Delegates were able to attend Gov. Sean Parnell's "State of the State" address during their 2 day visit.

In Olympia, delegates were able to meet with Lt. Governor Brad Owen, as well as testify to a joint committee of the House and Senate on International Trade, Economic Development, and Innovation on the Beyond the Border Action Plan. A  joint House/Senate Memorial was introduced by the Lt. Governor and has passed the Senate calling on the Legislature to track the progress of the US - Canada Beyond the Border Action Plan.

Visits to Regina, Saskatchewan; and Whitehorse, Yukon are planned for the spring.